AUDIO – Big Oil Ads Say “Trust Us this Time”

Unless you live in DC or one of the pipeline states, you are hearing it here first.

"Windmills Not Oil Spills" read the sign of a young Nebraska protester this week. The proposed pipeline would cut through Nebraska and 5 other heartland states. (Image from Bold Nebraska)

With a decision from the State Department coming soon on whether to approve the massive and risky Keystone XL pipeline, Canadian oil giant TransCanada has launched an ad campaign repeating some of their well worn spin for why we should trust that they’ve cleaned up their act.

It’s shameless.

The industry buried clean energy legislation last year, left the Gulf coast a wreck, is cranking up gasoline and oil prices, and now they essentially say “trust us this time.” It’s blatant propaganda aimed at softening up decision makers in Washington, DC.

We’ve heard the radio ads on DC’s News Talk WTOP, and seen them on ESPN and CNN. The latter is purportedly a cable buy that started in the middle of last month. You can hear it at this link: Transcanada 540a 1.5.11

The ad war is contrasted by the images of Nebraskans protesting at the state capital this week to stop the pipeline. They fear a safety disaster and the damage to the economy that would ensue from a spill.